Tangled Threads
by RillDracas
Summary: Not only heroes are carried on the Wheel of Time. Some souls carry scars even time cannot heal, and it only takes a whisper of a memory to reopen the wound.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing in Wheel of Time. It all belongs to Robert Jordan. I did come up with Raelle/Kashira, I guess, but RJ's welcome to use her if he wants to.

This is going to be a series of "flashforwards" between the Age of Legends and 3rd Age Randland. It centers around Barid Bel Medar (Demandred), but there will be appearances by most of the Chosen, LTT, and others. There are also dream/ TRR sequences which will be set off with italics for the sake of clarity.

Warnings: I am rating this mature for a reason. There will be graphic violence and implied sex (non-explicit), and it's going to get really dark at times. This is no sappy love story. You are forewarned.

For understanding's sake, people lived longer during the Age of Legends, especially channelers. My Age of Legends should sound familiar - its our world, basically, if there had been three thousand years of peace and the One Power.

I love reviews, and I learn a lot from criticism. However, if you decide to flame, please say something constructive. I can't improve my work if you don't tell me why you don't like it.

That having been said, let's get on with this...

_The Wheel of Time turns. Ages come and go; nations rise and crumble to dust. Memory fades to legend, and legend to myth. Across the Ages the Wheel spins, carrying with it the souls of all those who have lived and died, and lived again. Not only great heroes ride the rushing wings of Time. All souls return to live again._

_Most continue blissfully through their successive lives, never recalling the past. Lessons are imprinted upon the soul, stored away for some higher cosmic purpose known only to the Creator. But at least once in every Age, a soul is wounded so deeply that it carries the scars throughout the Ages and lives to come. And even a whisper of a memory may reopen the bleeding wound... _

**Age of Legends (twelve years prior to the opening of the Bore)**

Raelle Dasine pushed her way through the crowd of students making their way towards the maim elevator. As she started to step into the elevator, a shaggy haired blonde boy she didn't recognize shoved past her and the stack of books she carried fell from her arms. As the door slid closed, she channeled a thin stream of air and pushed the boy into two girls in front of him before diving after her books. She muttered a curse as she saw the cover had been torn off of one of them.

"Such language," a familiar voice taunted her.

"Fuck off, Joar," she snapped, deliberately dropping the illustrious third from his name.

"Burn me for trying to help you," the dark headed boy laughed, floating her books into a neat pile on the floor in front of her.

"All right, now you're just showing off," she said, rolling her eyes at him, and laughing as the book she was holding leapt into the air and did a little spinning number before landing in his hands.

"'An Illustrated History of Paren Disen," he read the cover. "Doing a little light reading?"

"Nothing light about that book," she said, wincing in exaggerated pain. It was a ponderous volume. "I've got a report due a week from today, thanks," she snapped, snatching the book back from him.

"Not bringing that with you tonight, I hope."

"Tonight," she stared at him blankly, wracking her mind for...

"Yeah. Lake party? It's tonight remember? You should, you're hosting...

"Oh shit! I completely forgot. Let me borrow your phone."

"Sure. It's 3 on speed dial..." She snatched the cell phone away from him before he could hand it to her.

"Hello, Dad? Yeah, look, I'm sorry to bother you at work, but I need to borrow the car tonight... yeah... ma and Joar Addam are going out to the lake... yeah, Dad, lots of other people...musician, Dad, he's the musician... No, I told you... how many times?... OK, thanks Dad, I love you too. Gotta go. Classes." She hung up and handed the phone back to him. "You'd think that after ten years he'd be able to figure out who you are."

"I'm forgettable. You know we're going to be late right?"

"So what? It's a stupid class anyway."

"Some of us need this stupid class to graduate."

"Fine. Better move your..." she started moving before she looked and walked right into another student. She started to apologize, and stopped short when she realized who she had just run into.

"Barid... I... I..." she stammered. Her mouth had suddenly gone so dry she couldn't speak. Prying her tongue off the roof of her mouth, she finished, "sorry." and then stared at the ground between his feet, letting her hair fall forward to hide her furious blush.

Barid Medar was a final year engineering student. He was tall, dark and considered not-quite-handsome by most of the girls at the University. Raelle did not share this particular opinion. In fact, she found more than her ability to speak impaired whenever he was in the room.

He stepped back out of the doorway and motioned for her to go in front of him. She shuffled onto the elevator, followed by Barid and another boy she didn't recognize. Joar Addam stepped in behind them and hit the button for the fourth floor.

Edging closer to Raelle, he whispered in her ear, "Ask him."

She shook her head abruptly. No. "You."

"Ask him to the party." Her friend insisted. The elevator door opened. She tried to exit, but found her feet mysteriously glued to the floor. She cast a hateful glance at Joar Addam, who was staring intently at the control panel of the elevator.

She took a breath, pushed her hair back away from her face and..."Barid," she squeaked.

He raised his eyebrows slightly, looking slowly from her to Joar Addam.

"I know you're probably busy and all, but... I... I mean a few of us are having a party at the lake tonight and you're welcome to come if you want. You and your friend," she tilted her head at the boy behind him. "We're going to have a fire and.. Your friend can come too if he wants." she lost it. He was looking at her, Light, he was really looking at her right into her eyes...

"Sounds like a bit of fun. Where's the spot?"

Shock. Recovery. Barely. "National Forest side. It's a little hard to find, but a few of us are carpooling. We're meeting at the East Gate an hour before curfew.

His dark eyes flicked back to Joar Addam, and darkened slightly. Joar Addam smiled widely and clapped her on the shoulder. "Yeah, we'd be glad to have you along. My lil sis here apparently thinks you're something to look at."

She choked in anger and embarrassment.

"Your sister?" Barid asked, smoothly ignoring her reaction and focusing instead on the man behind her.

"May as well be," Joar Addam shrugged.

Barid stepped forward and took her hand. "I shall look forward to seeing you tonight, then."

"No uniforms. And don't let Telamon and his crew know anything."

His eyes flashed as she mentioned that name. The rivalry between the two friends was reaching legendary proportions by the time they both started their last year at the University.

"Not a word," she insisted.

He raised a finger to his lips and smiled, "Silent as the grave. What should I bring?"

"Booze!" Joar Addam interjected, grabbing her arm. "We gotta run, Barid. Already late as it is. See you tonight then, right?"

The taller boy tilted his upper body, ever so slightly towards them in a small bow, and raised her hand to his lips. A tremor shot through her at the contact lightning, quick, pooling in her stomach and seeping lower. He released her hand and sauntered down the hallway. She stood entranced, watching him walk away.

"He moves like a cat, like a..."

"Hello! Earth to Rae! Class, now." Joar Addam reached up and pushed her gently in the direction of the classroom. As soon as they had cleared the elevator, she turned on him.

"I'm going to strangle you with your own harp strings! What did you say that for?"

"I was helping you, Rae," he said, grinning. "He thought I was competition. Guys like him don't like competition. Now he knows I'm not a threat."

"But...you..."

"I know you like him."

"Like him? Joar Addam, I would personally cut off my left tit for one night with that man, Light, two hours..."

"So tell him. Instead of staring like a gutted catfish and drooling all over yourself. We skipping class today, or what?"

"No. I'm coming," she stumbled twice on the way to the classroom, holding her books balanced on one hip, right hand pressed to her chest.

Their professor glared as they walked into the room. "Mistress Dasine, Master Nesossin, so kind of you to join us."

Joar Addam muttered an apology. Raelle said nothing, just dropped her books on the desk and collapsed into the chair. The Aes Sedai stared at her for a moment, then pressed her palm against Raelle's forehead.

"Are you feeling well, girl?"

Beside her, Joar Addam chuckled. "She'll live. She's just recovering from a close encounter with Barid Medar."

Several of the students sniggered. Raelle recovered and punched him in the arm, hard enough that it would bruise later. She quickly opened her book and tilted her head forward, letting her hair fall over her face.


	2. Chapter 2

**Third Age: Awakening**

_A soft breeze blew down the mountainside into the valley, sending rippling waves through soft grass and brightly colored wildflowers. In the shade of a willow tree, near a gently bubbbling brook, a small dark haired girl sat weaving flowers into her hair. She hummed softly as she worked, an ancient tune._

_A shadow fell across her, and she looked up in surprise. No one ever came here._

_She saw a man, tall, and broad of shoulder. Dark eyed and hook nosed, he could not be considered handsome. He seemed... confused as he looked around him. His eyes narrowed suspiciously as they settled on her. She came to her feet quickly._

_"Who are you?" the man demanded, in a voice which suggested he was used to commanding. "Why did you bring me here?"_

_She tensed, prepared to run. He seized her arm and pulled her closer to him, staring intently into her eyes. She squirmed inwardly under his scrutiny. The wind had died, and the air was completely still. She though she could smell lightning in the air._

_He kissed her._

_She felt something shift around them, and deep within her something flared to life - the ashes of a long-dead fire. One of his hands slid down her back to her waist, pulling her against him as the other twisted in her hair._

_He released her and looked around with a curious expression on his face. She followed his gaze and caught her breath. The meadow had disappeared, replaced by a forest and beyond the two of them, a perfectly round lake. She could smell wood smoke in the air._

_"Raelle?" the man said, in a voice barley above a whisper._

_She shook her head, no. "My name is Kashira." He frowned. "I'm dreaming."_

_"Yes," he answered, reaching a hand up to stroke her cheek. "You don't remember."_

_"Remember what?"_

_He didn't answer her. He seemed lost in thought for what could have been a moment, or an hour. He suddenly glanced up at the sky, listening, then back at her and smiled._

_"You will remember. I must go now, but I will find you again soon." He leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Wake now."_

Kashira woke in darkness. The smell of him seemed to cling to her, although that wasn't possible. She could picture him perfectly, the sharp lines of his face. A peculiar dream.

She knew it must be quite late. The drums were silent, and an early morning chill seeped into the wagon. She could hear the occasional creaking of the wagons, and the rustling of blankets, her father and brother snoring in perfect harmony. She willed herself back to sleep, back to the dream, but sleep would not come.

Eventually, she gave up, and slipped out of the wagon into the cool night air. As she made her way silently through the camp, one of their wolfhounds trotted up to her and stuck its huge shaggy head between her hands. She scratched the dog's ears and patted it. The dog stayed close on her heels as she left the camp and headed down to the river.

The moon hung bright and full in the sky, turning the river into molten silver. The grass was damp with dew which had just begun to form and the mud at the bank of the river felt wonderful between her bare toes. The night was warm, even with the slight breeze from across the river.

She found a spot with several large rocks on the bank and trailed her feet in the water watching the fish jump further out. Kashira loved the sights, smells and sounds of the camp. She - like all her people - felt the constant music in her soul, but unlike many in the camp, she was unafraid of the night and the world outside the camp.

The night had its own music, and Kashira imagined that the rest of the world must be much the same. Sometimes, she fantasized about leaving the wagons and seeking out the cities, meeting those her father condemned, learning about their clothes, and their customs, their ways of speaking.

Tonight, her fantasies took a different route. She recalled dark eyes, and felt a chill run through her. She mistrusted her dreams, especially lately. Too often in the past year, she had dreamed of something only to have it come true. She had told only one person - her mother - after the first time. Her mother had sternly ordered her to tell no one, and Kashira obeyed without question.

The True dreams, as she had come to think of them, were the only times she ever dreamt of people, other than herself. Not all of them were about people, but most. People she knew. This man, the dark man, she had never met. She knew she had not, and yet he ... felt... familiar. Even now, just recalling the dream, her knees felt weak, and her mouth was dry.

Kashira splashed some water on her face, and headed back towards the camp, telling herself not to be silly. As she came close, she realized the woods had gone quiet. Too quiet. A moment later, the dog at her side started growling, low and deep in its throat. She smelled smoke and the silence was broken by screaming.

Fear rose in her chest, and her feet felt stuck to the ground. Numb with terror, she watched as dark shapes moved between the wagons. First one, then another caught fire, the flames quickly spreading. A movement to her left caught her eye and the dog sprang past her, a huge taloned limb caught it and flipped it into the air.

The dog's dying gurgle was enough to set her running. Like a startled rabbit, she fled, back towards the river, unthinking, terror lending wings to her feet. Behind her she could hear whatever it was crashing through the underbrush, an eerie howling followed her. Her bare feet struck the soft mud of the riverbank, and slowed.

Then some long buried survival instinct took over and she plunged into the river. The icy water sucked the breath from her body and she kicked ineffectively. She had always considered herself a strong swimmer, but against the combined strength of the current and the cold, her limbs had no strength.

Burning wagons lit up the sky as the river swept her away.


	3. Chapter 3

**Age of Legends: Starlight and Woodsmoke**

Later that evening,Raelle and Joar Addamwaited by the East Gate. Joar Addam sat on the edge of a fountain, absentmindedly strumming his harp, to the delight of the two brainless blondes he had talked into accompanying them and several passersby.

Raelle paced impatiently in front of him, checking her watch every thirty seconds. "He's not coming. I know he's not coming. I looked like such an idiot and you..."

"Relax. He probably just got held up at a meeting, or had some last minute research to finish up. He is graduating this year you know."

"You're here."

"I'm your best friend and a known slacker. Not the best basis for comparison."

She made one or two more circles and then stomped her foot on the smooth cobblestones. "It's nearly curfew. If we don't leave now, we won't be able to Travel out and it's a long walk to the car."

"Fine by me," he stopped playing and lovingly slid the harp back into its case, gently caressing the wood before closing it.

"You know, if you were willing to treat a woman half as well as you treat that harp, you'd have girls falling all over you."

"My harp is my life."

"You are so incredibly sad."

"I'm not the one who nearly choked myself trying to..."

She whirled on him, raising her hands. A gateway sliced open between the two of them, forcing him to jump back in surprise. "Light, Rae! Watch where you put that thing!"

"Coming?" She asked, smiling.

Shaking his head, he stepped through the Gateway and out into a public parking garage outside the city. The two girls shuffled after him. Raelle went through last to close the portal.

"Why don't we ever Travel to the lake?"

"Because I want to have the car just in case. Besides, I like the drive. Stop griping and get in."

Joar Addam took the front seat, nestling the harp lovingly between his feet. The two girls rolled their eyes and giggled as they climbed into the back seat. Raelle gave him a long suffering look and they headed out of the city.

"Heard from Sherri lately?" Rae asked him as they turned off of the main highway. She and Joar Addam had been friends for years. They'd grown up a block from each other, and Sherri was his mother. Rae's mother was just Mom, to both of them.

"Yeah. She left Leir. Again. She'll be back with him in a week, tops."

"And Kel?"

"She's... with the Aes Sedai now. So Leir can't touch her."

"And Sherri won't do anything about it?"

"She'll protect him. She loves him. She hates us. Especially Kel. Because she'll never be anything. Not now." He made no attempt to mask the anger in his voice.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked, just..."

"You're practically family, Rae. I should have told you before," he stared out into the darkness for a while. "I'm going to go after him as soon as I'm legal. I'll petition the Halls if I have to. He's going to pay for what he did to her." His voice was so cold it forced her to look over at him in surprise.

"And if they don't believe you?"

"Then I'll take care of it myself."

"I'll be right there with you," she said, and meant it.

"I wouldn't let you. This is between him and me. So."

"So." Moments of uncomfortable silence passed. The city lights faded behind them and the air dropped as they drove further into the hills.

"So what's with the bimbos," she asked quietly, half under her breath.

He shrugged. "Groupies."

"You have groupies?"

"Every musician needs a few. You think Barid might show up later?"

"Don't know. Don't care." She said, a bit too quickly.

"Liar. You know he's graduating next month."

"I know."

"So why wait so long? To say something?"

"I wouldn't have if you hadn't shoved my nose in it. Joar Addam, men like him don't have anything to do with girls like me. He's going to be somebody in the world. There are those who are born to lead, some who are destined to be at the top of their game. Like you. Like Barid and Tel. Nemene. And then there are those who...well, some of us just are."

"You've never given yourself enough credit, Rae. You're pretty."

"Mierin's pretty."

"Mierin's gorgeous. And psychotic. And a complete bitch. Personally I prefer you. Pretty. Nice. Dependable. Not likely to castrate me with thrown objects. Most men would agree with me."

"So maybe we should just get married. You and I. You can play your harp, and I can pick on you mercilessly for about for oh, say, the next three hundred years or so."

He laughed. "Mom's been expecting it to happen for years."

"Couldn't do it. Too much like fucking my brother."

"My thoughts exactly. Hey, look, we're coming up on the lake road."

"I know. I'm the one driving, remember?"

"You want to stop at the ridge for a minute?"

"Not this time. We're already late, and I've got the keg in the back. Might be a few cranky people up there if we take too much longer."

He called something over his shoulder which was carried away on the wind. The two blondes laughed. The lake was actually a hollowed out bowl in one of the mountains which had at one time been a copper mine. When all the ore was taken out, the resulting hole had been thoroughly cleaned up with the Power, and filled with water to create a gorgeous, perfectly round lake nestled in the surrounding hills.

Thousands of stars were reflected in it's pristine surface, largely undisturbed by the gentle breeze which blew across it's surface. As they approached the meeting site, they could see a large campfire,

"Keg's here!" someone shouted as they pulled into the clearing. Two men walked up and started helping Joar Addam unload the car. The two blondes immediately disappeared into the crowd.

"You lost your groupies," she informed Joar Addam

"They'll be back," he said, without a hint of sarcasm. "Looks like we've got quite a crowd. Sure one keg will be enough?"

"I'm not going back for a another. Get the music set up and I'll stash our gear," she grabbed their bags and tents out of the car.

She heard someone call her name as she dropped the bags near a copse of trees. She turned to see a tall dark haired woman winding her way through the crowd with a sour look on her face. People cleared a path for her, as that particular woman wearing that particular look never boded well for the recipient. "Raelle, I need to speak to you. Now."

Rae continued unpacking her tent, smiling at the worried looks of those at the edge of the fire circle. "What's bothering you, Nemene?"

The tall woman cast a venomous look at a willowy pale beauty across the clearing. "Who invited her?"

"I did, Nemene. I figured she'd keep some of the guys off the rest of us. Besides, she needs something to do other than moon over Telamon."

"So you decided to subject the rest of us to her bullshit? You're a good one to talk about 'mooning around'. I heard about your run in with Medar this afternoon."

"Wasn't anything to hear. If you don't like it, Nemene, I'll drive you back to campus," Raelle said, with complete sincerity.

The tall woman stalked off.

She finished setting up her tent and had started in on Joar Addam's before he made it back with two beers. "I'm supposed to sleep in that? You know I hate sleeping on the ground," he said, eying the two tents skeptically.

"Don't worry, by the end of the night, you'll probably be drunk enough to wake up next to Nemene," Rae said brightly.

He shuddered. "I don't know what it is about her, but that woman scares me."

"Other than she's a foot taller than you, and studying to be a Restorer. Which means she could literally take you apart and put you back together again? That's enough for most people right there. I like her."

"You like everyone."

"I do not."

"You do. Name one person you don't like."

"Telamon. And that blonde haired bint who's always tagging along behind him."

"Ilyena?"

"Yeah. That's it. She thinks she's the Creator's gift to the world. And I don't much care for your stepfather. In fact I think he's a good candidate for involuntary sterilization."

"OK. OK, point taken. It's just..." suddenly, his head snapped around. She followed his gaze to a space between two trees just ahead of them. She knew someone was channeling in, from the fact that all the men in the clearing were also focused there, and all the women were staring at them like they were stupid. The Power was funny that way.

Agate sliced open, and two men stepped out, not ten feet from where she stood. She caught her breath.

"Certainly likes to make an entrance doesn't he?" Joar Addam muttered. "Go say hello. I'll finish up here." He took the poles from her.

"Do you even know how to put one of these together."

"I'll figure it out. Go." He pushed her gently towards the new arrivals. She searched her brain trying to remember the second man's name, but all thought of that rushed out of her brain as Barid stepped towards her.

"I hope we haven't arrived too late? I was delayed. I suspected the meeting would run long, so earlier..." he grasped her hand and brought it to his lips as he had earlier. A shudder ran through her. "I tagged you so I could find you. I should have asked your permission..."

"No," she managed to gasp, thinking she should pull her hand away, but her muscles wouldn't respond, "not at all. I... I'm glad you could make it."

He took the beer from her hand sniffed it, made a face, then poured it out on the ground. She started to protest.

"Ared, be a friend and give the lady a real beer."

The boy behind him grinned. He was also dark haired and dark eyed, but lighter complected, and a few years younger. He did as Barid said, winking at her as he relinquished the beer, which was a dark ale with a label she didn't recognize.

She reached for the two cases. "We should put these in the cooler."

"Allow me," Barid said smoothly, reaching down to pick them up.

"Um. OK. Over here," and they walked away together slowly. Ared and Joar Addam were left alone together, staring at the fire.

"Barid just walked off with your girl," the other boy - Ared - said, sounding far too smug.

"She's not my girl."

"Hmm." Long awkward pause. "So you're the poet right? The one with the third name."

"Composer. And yes. I had my third at fifteen. Joar Addam Nesossin."

"Impressive," the other boy said, sounding anything but impressed. "Any unclaimed ladies at this little get together?"

"There's always Nemene..."

The other boy looked at him sharply and stalked away in the direction Barid and Rae had disappeared. Joar Addam heaved a sigh of relief, downed the rest of his beer, and slid his harp out of it's case. For a moment or two he had seriously believed the other boy was about to hit on _him_.

Raelle stood just outside the ring of dancers, talking quietly with Barid. They watched Ared talking to the two blondes who had ridden in with her and Joar Addam.

"Fancies himself quite the ladies' man, Ared does," Barid said, laughing.

"They seem to be impressed."

"They seem to be rather... intoxicated... as well. Your friend, Joar Addam, isn't it?"

She nodded.

"Quite young to have his third already."

"Fifteen. He was on his way to being the greatest composer the Shorelle University ever turned out, then... well, then they found out he could channel, and shipped him here."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"He hates it. He lost so much time, and now, well, he still writes, but its not the same. He used to write operas, now he's reduced to mixing folk music for keg parties. Most of the music playing tonight is his. Still, it's sort of a let down. He's really good with the OP though. Much better than me."

"Third name at fifteen, and all that talent. Quite impressive."

"You know what I like about you? When you say that, you sound like you mean it. Like you aren't just being nice. He doesn't get that much. No one understands how much talent it really takes to do what he does. He's going to be great someday. Like you."

He smiled at that. "I didn't have my third name at fifteen."

"I meant the engineering thing. You're both artists in your own way. You have real talent. As opposed to well..." she let the words drift off into space.

"I'd like to show you something," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a folded sheet of paper. They moved closer to the fire and knelt together. He folded it out on an upended log. "Just something I've been playing with."

It was a line drawing of a building, arched and graceful. Twin towers rising out of a garden below. "It's only a preliminary sketch. I haven't had time to work out the technical drawings yet. I based it off the Whitebridge structure only it had to be more solid. I've got either a multi level office building, or an apartment complex in mind."

"Wow," she said, turning the paper so she could see it better in the firelight.

"And you? What do you want to do when you get out of school?"

"You mean when I _drop_ out of school? Don't look so shocked, Barid. I don't have the skills to be Aes Sedai. They told me that when I got here, but I'm stubborn, and I wanted to learn what I could. I'm the only channeler in my family. You've got to go back nearly two thousand years to find another. My parents were really psyched about school. But they really don't have the money to keep shelling out for some fever dream that's never going to happen." She realized she was rambling and stopped.

He was listening intently, watching her with those dark eyes. "You haven't answered my question."

"I want... I want to travel. Small t. I want to walk all over, and meet everyone and see everything there is to see. I want to see mountains, real mountains, and the Lakes. I want to hear how people talk in different lands, find out how they think, and I want to feel wind in my hair. It's silly, I know, but..."

"I don't think it's silly. Different, but not silly," he glanced away from her towards Ared who was moving off towards the beer cooler with one of the blondes, then across the fire to where Joar Addam sat in the shadows, quietly strumming his harp.

"Will he do that all night?"

"Yes."

"And there is nothing between the two of you?"

She shook her head. "We're just really good friends. We're both from Shorelle, grew up right down the block from each other. He calls his mom by her first name, and mine Mom. Its... complicated. But no, we're not together. Not like that. Why?"

"Because I planned on taking you away from him tonight," he said it as a simple matter of fact.

Her mouth went dry. He leaned forward and kissed her, unconcerned by the crowd. She froze, her blood roaring in her ears as his lips pressed against hers, soft and hard at the same time. She was breathing hard when he moved away, a small smile playing across his lips.

"Shall we dance?"

She nodded, and got to her feet, a bit too quickly, before he kissed her again and she completely lost her wits. She felt like her insides had melted and settled between her thighs. He laid a hand on her waist and steered her through the crowd to the side of the fire closest to the speakers.

He was an excellent dancer, making up for what she lacked with perfect grace and control. He kept her close to him, one hand splayed across her lower back, the other grasping her hand as he guided her between the other - mostly drunken - dancers. With each turn, she could feel his hips move, ever so slightly, pressing against hers in ways that left no doubt as to his plans for the rest of the evening.

Her knees were weak by the time they left the group of dancers, stopping by the cooler on their way to the shadows at the edge of the fire. They left a beer with Joar Addam, who glanced up and winked at her without missing a note of the tune he was playing. Barid picked up his cloak from where it lay by the tree and wrapped it around both of them in one smooth motion.

He leaned back against the trunk of a tree, pulling her against him. She could feel his breath on the back of her neck and he spoke, "Comfortable?"

She answered him by settling her skirts around her and letting her head fall against his shoulder as she stared into the fire. The stars gleamed above. She could hear the soft notes of Joar Addam's harp winding their way through the louder music from the system.

The breeze carried with it the smell of wood smoke and the sound of laughter. The strength of Barid at her back and the heat from his body combined with the night wrapped her in a sensuous blanket of sights and sounds, sensations and smells. The combination was enticing, and just a bit dangerous.

"Deep thoughts?" he asked.

She realized she had been staring into the fire as if hypnotized. "I could live a thousand years and never have a night more perfect than this one."

He laughed. "The night's just started."

She sighed and leaned back against him. He began gently caressing her thighs through her dress, her hips, moving small circles across whatever he could reach, slowly working her skirts higher onto her hips.

"Barid..."

He pressed a finger to her lips, then spoke softly into her ear, too low for anyone to hear, "I could take you right here, and not one of these fools would even notice."

She felt a rush of heat to her core, and shifted against him, even as her mind rejected the thought. Her body betrayed her. He tilted his head suggestively towards the tent. "Yours?"

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

His eyes shone in the firelight. "One would think you planned this," he teased, standing slowly, and helped her to her feet. The ground seemed to shift beneath her. He kept her pinned to his side as they walked slowly into the darkness.

She unzipped the tent and tripped over the bottom edge as she stepped inside. He closed the door and knelt, looking down at her.

"After tonight, you will never be with another man without seeing my face."

He sounded so sure of himself, she had to laugh. Not mocking, just sheer joy. He knew the difference. He had been telling the truth earlier. The night had only begun.


	4. Chapter 4

**Third Age: Shadow Rising**

Kashira struggled from the darkness,gasping for air and opened her eyes, trying to scream. Strong hands held her down. She fought them, trying to throw off the shadows.

A man's voice close to her ear ordered her to relax, then less harshly he told her "You're safe now," and awkwardly patted her back.

Safe. She tried to speak again and was taken by a fit of coughing. Her stomach heaved and emptied water. The man - whoever he was - turned her body to the side and held her steady until she was finished.

"The girl lives then?" Another voice came from the darkness.

"She lives. Another few minutes..."

"Fire across the river. The work of Darkfriends, no doubt. The girl must be questioned as soon as she can speak."

"A few moments, milord. She's nearly drowned and half frozen."

Slowly, she became aware of other shapes in the darkness. Other men. Half a dozen at least. She could hear the distinctive chinking of chainmail, and as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could see the one that knelt beside her wore a sword at his belt.

She gasped for air and managed to choke out one word. "Trollocs," and pointed across the river.

"What's that you say girl?" the second man snapped, stepping closer.

The man who held her answered. "Trollocs, milord."

A moment of tense silence followed. "Send Balin and Nyle to secure the bridge." The second man knelt beside her and plucked at her skirt, scowling. "Tinker. Child Einan, take her to the camp. You pulled her out of the river. If she escapes, its on your shoulders."

"Yes, milord," the young man murmured, and touched her shoulder in a motion which she supposed was meant to be reassuring.

Child. Only one group she knew of referred to each other in that way. Whitecloaks. Fear rushed back into her. The Whitecloaks hated her people. According to her father, they hated everyone. Andthey were nearly as dangerous as Trollocs. More dangerous. Trollocs were children's stories. The Whitecloaks were real.

"Can you walk?" the man - Einan - asked.

She tried to stand and her knees buckled. He caught her around the waist and helped her to her feet, She staggered. Her whole body felt numb. How long she had been in the river, she could not know.

"Forgive me, milady, but we cannot linger here," he said, picked her up as though she weighed nothing and carried her up the hill to a sizeable camp. He deposited her unceremoniously by the fire. She was shivering violently by this time.

"We need to get you out of those wet clothes," he said, and she looked up at him, wide eyed, suspicion and fear flooding into her.

He took his cloak off and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Wait here. I'll find something for you to wear. I don't suppose you're in any state to run, even if you are a Darkfriend."

"I'm not..." she started to say, but he was already heading toward a row of tents across from the picket lines. She stared out into the darkness and thought about running. But the Trollocs were in the darkness. She turned her eyes into the fire and tried not to think about the screaming. The Leaf does not fight against the wind.

Tears burned in her eyes.

It seemed like hours, but it could only have been a few minutes before the man returned. He knelt beside her and set some clothes beside her. "They'll be too big, but they're dry." He turned his back on her.

She hesitated only a moment before struggling out of her wet clothes and into what he had brought. He took the wet clothes and spread them out by the fire, then sat down beside her.

She realized for the first time that he was not wearing his armor. Only a sword and...

She reached out a hand to run it through his damp hair.

"You must swim well. The current was strong.."

"Yes. I grew up on the coast. In Falme."

"Thank you."

"I was lucky to see you, in the darkness, but we had seen flames across the river... what happened?"

"I... I'm not sure. I had a dream, and I couldn't sleep. So I was walking by the river."

"Alone?"

"I had Leir - one of our dogs - with me, and I wasn't far from the camp. I just wanted to think, and be alone and see the moon on the water. I wasn't gone too long, but when I started back ... they... the... the Trollocs, they had to be Trollocs... I think... were there, and people were screaming..." she broke off in a choking sob.

"I'm sorry."

She leaned her head against his shoulder and wept. He made no move to comfort her, only stared into the fire. When her tears finally slowed, she wiped her face with the back of her hand and asked, "Are you going to kill me?"

"If you walk in the Light you will go free, although..."

She tried to meet his eyes. He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

"The Tinkers refuse to fight against the forces of the Shadow. Everyone knows that. But being a coward does not make one a Darkfriend."

"We do not fight against anyone. My father would have said theat perhaps it takes more courage to accept one's fate than to fight against it."

"And do you agree with your father?"

"I don't know," she answered, in a voice barely above a whisper.

They sat in silence for a while. Her eyelids felt heavy, in spite of the fear she still felt. Sleep crept up on her like a thief and when the men sent across the bridge returned, they found the girl leaning against Einan, asleep.

Einanlistened from the shadow of the fire asBalin madehis report, and thought of waking the girl, then decided against it. Her pain could wait until the morning. The wagons had been completely destroyed. There were no survivors.


	5. Chapter 5

**Age Of Legends: A Change of Plans**

Barid Bel Medar sat slumped over the bar, head propped up on one fist, staring dejectedly into his drink. Any stranger would have thought him just another patron, drinking off a day at the office, but those who knew him...

The explosion at the Daam was still first on everyone's mind, and he could hear the conversations drifting behind him. The fools should have know they were messing around with things they shouldn't have. What people could get a grant for these days... At the moment, it made no difference to him.

He was busy drinking off the worst moment of his life.

He had been courting Ilyena for over two years now. He knew they were a good match and he loved her, fiercely, with a passion that seemed to overwhelm him at times. She was well born, a talented Aes Sedai, beautiful as the sun was beautiful.

It had taken him two months to make the decision to ask her. Two weeks of careful planning to set up the perfect moment.

And she had turned him down. Smiled sadly and turned him down flat. For Telamon! The glass in his hand shattered.

Several patrons glanced up in surprise. The bartender just grimaced and brought him another drink. He wrapped his hand in a towel to staunch the flow of blood, oblivious to the pain.

Telamon.

The man had bested him at every turn and now... His heart twisted violently, but he forced his face to remain impassive. Until today, he had not truly known how much he loved her. How much he needed her.

He had begged her to reconsider. Pleaded with her - on his knees, no less - to think of all they had accomplished together, all they could yet accomplish. Her smile had faded then, replaced by tears, but her choice remained the same. She would wed the Lord of the Morning and he...

A woman's voice invaded his thoughts, drawing him violently back to the barroom. "Barid Bel Medar."

"No autographs today," he growled, refusing to look up.

"Well, blood and ashes, I was so looking forward to having your name on my left tit..."

His head snapped around and he stared into bright green eyes and a smile he hadn't seen in years.

"Raelle? You look well."

The short woman bowed. Her brown hair was streaked with blonde and red, even braided, it fell almost to her waist. She was dressed in worn khakis and hiking boots and carried a knapsack which looked like it had seen better days. There were lines above her eyes which suggested she spent far more time smiling than most these days. The smile slipped a bit as she took in his condition.

"You look..."

"Drunk?" He supplied.

She laughed. The sound slammed into him, threatening to jar him out of his depression.

"Well, yes, but I was trying to be polite."

"Don't bother. Pull up a seat. I'll buy us a shot."

"Oh, no," she said, sitting down. "I don't do well with liquor. I'll take a beer, though."

He motioned to the bartender, who filled the order quickly and retreated to the other end of the bar.

"So where have you been hiding, girl?"

"Here, there, and everywhere."

"Still determined to walk every square foot of the world?"

"Working on it. How about you? I figured you'd be hanging out with your girlfriend tonight. She's almost as famous as you are. Isn't her big birthday bash tomorrow?"

He gritted his teeth and she caught her breath as she read his expression.

"Oh, Light, Barid, I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"You couldn't have known."

An uncomfortable silence passed between them.

She finally broke it. "So how about that shot then? I'll buy."

"You will not. I'll not have you wasting your money on me. I offered and I'll stand by it. Luke! Two shots of bourbon. The good stuff."

The drinks came and they brought the glasses together. "To old friends..." he started the toast, then paused, at a loss for words.

"...and new roads." she finished, tapped the shot on the bar and downed it. He did the same, and motioned for a refill.

"So who's your friend?" the bartender asked.

"Raelle Doesine...it is still Doesine, isn't it?"

She nodded.

"World traveler extroarinaire," he announced, with an uncharacteristic melodramatic flourish.

She blushed and dropped her head forward, her hair falling forward in a brilliant curtain to cover her face.

Barid reached forward and brushed the hair behind her ear, as familiar as if there had been no years since their last meeting.

"The roads are not as safe as they used to be, Rae. You should consider settling somewhere, at least until this trouble is taken care of."

"The bandit king?" She chuckled.

Barid Bel nodded, serious. "Soudra. The Halls need to do something about this bastard. If anyone deserves Binding it's this fool."

"In order to Bind him, they have to catch him first. They don't call him the Rat for nothing."

"And they expect the constables to be able to handle it."

"People are carrying swords now in Shorelle, openly and not just for show."

"And I'll wager it's tied to this mess at the Daam. I told those fools they were messing around in dangerous territory, but they were determined to 'open up new arenas of scientific research'. Give hope to the people, oh yes. That worked out well... Lost Beidomon and Meirin - two of the best - and left a great bloody hole where the Daam used to be." He was ranting.

"The explosion at Shayol Ghul..."

"Not necessarily connected."

"But a strange coincidence, nonetheless. And now this fool Soudra."

"There must be a connection"

"So what do we do about it?" It was a rhetorical question, but he leapt upon it.

"Find the bastard and string him up outside the Hall of Servants. But the constables aren't equipped to do it. We need men trained to hunt, to fight. We need..." he trailed off, lost in thought. She ordered another shot.

"So petition the Halls. Find men with the skills you need. You're a natural leader, Barid. Men will follow you."

He looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. "The Halls will take some convincing, and training will take time. We don't have that kind of time."

She set the shot in front of him and laid her hand gently on his arm. "You will find the answers. If you can't find them, they aren't to be found."

He picked up the shot. "To Soudra. May he never find a safe place to lay his head."

They drank well into the night, the conversation moving further away from politics and into the past, meandering through the years. As they talked, he found himself leaning closer to her, imagined he could smell the wind in her hair. He watched her eyes dilate slightly each time their thighs brushed against each other, and he drew her in, thoughts of Ilyena slipping further and further from his mind, until he realized that everyone else had left the bar.

Luke was putting up the chairs, watching the two of them with poorly veiled curiosity. She looked down at her watch and groaned. "I"m never going to find a hotel at this hour."

"Stay with me," he said, without hesitation.

"I don't think that's a good idea. People talk, and you... she could..."

"She won't. Stay with me," he placed his hand on her knee and felt her shiver in response to the touch. For a moment, he could almost smell wood smoke.

She seemed about to protest. He silenced her with a kiss, paid the tab, and draped his arm around her shoulders, steering her out of the bar.

As the door locked behind them, she asked, "Are you sure you're OK to Travel?"

He grinned and the gate slashed open, revealing a lush garden. "After you, milady," he murmured in her ear, releasing her to step through the portal. He followed her through and let the gate snap shut, just a bit too quickly.

They stepped out into a perfectly manicured garden surrounding an elegant apartment complex. "The Towers," she whispered in amazement. "I didn't know you lived here."

He smiled, "I designed them, after all, and I get a very good deal on the rent." She stared in awe at the graceful twin spires rising from the gardens before them.

"They're beautiful. I've never been this close before." The awe in her voice filled him with a glow of pride.

He took her arm and led her to the entrance, speaking his name into a voice monitor. The door slid open.

The hallway was deserted. "I designed the security system as well. Took some convincing to get them to include it, but that was before the trouble started. Now, it's one of the main selling points," he explained as they walked down the hall to the elevator. The interior was as impressive as the exterior, all graceful arches, spirals and impossible curves. A glass elevator allowed a perfect view of the city as it rose impossibly high.

"I'm on the top floor. The view of the city is amazing." He turned her around so she was facing away from him, looking out over the glory that was Paaren Disen. He bent down to kiss the back of her neck and felt her press her body back against his. Light, but it had been a long time.

He could almost smell the wind and the sun in her hair, the sweet smell of dark earth after a rain. Freedom clung to her like morning dew on a blade of grass and he wanted to drink it all in, to bury his pain in her and cast it away.

He nearly dragged her out of the elevator, stumbled only once on the way to his apartment. It was one of only two on the floor and he paid dearly to have the other remain unoccupied. Barid Bel valued his privacy. He spoke into a second instrument panel and held the door open for her.

They had barely cleared the doorway when he seized her hand and pulled her into his arms, claiming her mouth. One of his hands splayed across her back, pressing her against him. The other moved to her hair, twisting into it as he forced his tongue into her mouth. Her body stiffened, surprised by the ferocity of his embrace, but only for a moment.

He shifted his hips against hers, felt her moan into his mouth, her hands tugging at his shirt, pulling it up so she could slide her hands beneath it. He felt her cool hands slide across his back, and reached up to undo the braid with shaking hands.

He heard fabric ripping and felt her hands on his shoulders, pulling him roughly to the floor. He was only too happy to oblige her. Clothing disappeared, tossed into the darkness.

He woke alone, the space where she had lay still warm to the touch. He sat up carefully, not surprised at the dull ache that blossomed at the base of his skull. Sunlight streamed in through arched windows, letting him know it was close to noon.

He heard water running in the bathroom and smiled as he ran his hand through short cropped dark hair. How different his little wanderer was from Ilyena the Pure.

Inall the time he and Ilyena had been together, he could count on one hand the number of times they had made love. And each time he had felt as though he were holding a bird in his hand. Too much, and he would crush her. Too little and she would fly away.

But Raelle...

He had always thought of her as fragile, but she had proven far from it. The lifestyle she had chosen had given her a hard edge that appealed to him, and he sincerely doubted that high bred Ilyena would have pulled him down on his living room floor to ravage her.

A plan had begun to form at the edges of his mind. A way to turn Ilyena's refusal to his advantage. It was a risk, but he wasn't afraid of taking risks - so long as they were calculated risks.

He heard humming coming from the bathroom and smiled.

The only ones who knew of his proposal were himself, and Ilyena. She wouldn't tell Lews Therin for fear he might assume more about their relationship than was proper, and risk whatever designs she had on the Lord of the Morning. If he could turn the rumor mill in his favor - turn it to his advantage - he could give his public a story they would talk about for years. If he could at the same time, secure himself a bit of stability and a chance for some happiness, so much the better.

True, Raelle Doesine was an unknown. She was neither Aes Sedai, nor politician. She had no known connection to any of the current ruling families. As such she was a wild card. But she had an adventurous spirit and a quiet kind of beauty which could only enhance his own energy, and, unlike Ilyena, she would be far less likely to draw the spotlight away from his own triumphs.

He slipped quietly into the bathroom to put his plan into action. Raelle yelped in surprise as he stepped into the steaming water behind her, slipping his arms around her.

"Wretched man! You scared me half to death," she squirmed in his grasp.

"You were expecting someone else?" He laughed, deep and low, his body responding instantly to the feel of her. He turned her to face him, kissing and caressing her, drawing her to him, making her his, all thought of Ilyena slipping from his mind.

They spent the day wrapped up in a blanket on the couch, learning each others bodies and avoiding any serious conversation. As the sun sank into the west, he led her out onto the balcony overlooking the city. A slight breeze blew, wrapping them both in her long hair.

"It has been so long," he murmured.

"So long since what?" she asked, staring out at the stars. This high, they seemed a reflection of the lights of the city.

"Since I've been happy," he answered. A few more minutes, and it would be decided.

She turned to face him, concern written on her face. "Now you want to get all serious? Can't we just..."

He raised his finger to her lips. "Let me finish. If I don't say this now, I'm afraid I might lose my nerve."

"Barid Bel Medar, lose his nerve? I doubt it."

"I am not the man you believe me to be Raelle. But I could be. I have no right to ask you this. But I feel... compelled." He took her hand and pressed it to his chest. "Raelle Doesine, Will you consent to be my wife?"

Her jaw dropped.

"Marry me. Take my name and I will raise you on a pedestal so high that no one in the land will dare to look down on you again."

She stared at him as though she would laugh, "You can't be serious."

"I've never been more serious in my life. I need you at my side to be my wife, my strength. To feed my dreams and share in my triumphs. To bear my children."

"Children.. Blood and ashes, Barid! I haven't seen you in years, and after one night you're talking about..."

"I know the risks, and I am willing to take them if..." he trailed off, searching her eyes for the answer he was looking for. Yes would not be enough. Not for this. He needed more.

"If?"

"If there is even the smallest chance that you may learn to love me?"

"Barid Medar," her shock caused her to drop the honorific, "I have loved you for years."

He smiled and drew her against him. "Say you will be mine, forever, and I will make all your dreams come true."

She pushed him away, and retreated to the edge of the balcony. "It's too much. Too much, too fast. I have to think about it."

He closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her. He felt her melt in his arms. She would yield. With the right touch and the right words, she always had. She would be the one thing which belonged to him and him alone. One thing Telamon could never steal from him. More importantly, he knew that within weeks, his public would be parading theirs as the greatest love story of the times. She would be his, and They would love her.

Perfect.


End file.
